St Patrick's get off to a winning start

St Patrick's Ath 2 Galway U 0:THEY CAUGHT St Patrick's cold here in the opening match last season with a 3-0 win, but it was never going to go as smoothly for Galway at Richmond Park last night.

Galway would go on to win all four games against last night’s hosts in 2009, but having midfielder Stephen O’Donnell sent off after just 17 minutes when already a goal down didn’t augur well.

Impressive in their first game of the season against Linfield last week, St Patrick’s continued where they left off as they got about Galway from the start.

Alex Williams hooked over the bar when he might have scored on six minutes after Ryan Guy headed across goal from a Gareth Coughlan free-kick.

With Galway’s defence somewhat unsure of itself from the start, a dreadful mistake gifted the home side their lead two minutes later.

Ironically, it was the experienced Thomas Heary’s stray pass that went straight to Stuart Byrne who promptly put Guy in on goal.

The little Californian raced away to unleash a powerful, rising drive which Barry Ryan could only help into the top corner of his net.

O’Donnell had received a yellow card for clattering into Dave Mulcahy on 14 minutes.

He was off just three minutes later as referee Padraig Sutton flashed a second card for a clash with Shane Guthrie.

St Patrick’s struggled to make their extra man count for the remainder of the half with only a chip from Coughlan testing United skipper Ryan.

Derek O’Brien was inches away from levelling a minute into the second half when his free-kick flashed over Gary Rogers’ bar.

But the numerical advantage gradually told. Stuart Byrne, Coughlan and Mulcahy had chances before St Patrick’s doubled their lead on 69 minutes.

The impressive Coughlan’s deep cross from the left came off a defender to set up Williams who rifled to the corner of the net from 16 yards.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Lynch, Guthrie, Kenna, Bermingham (Pender, 85 mins); Ryan, Mulcahy, S Byrne, Coughlan (Cash, 70 mins.); Faherty (P Byrne, 81 mins), Williams.

GALWAY UNITED: Ryan; Conneely, Heary, McKenzie, Meynell; Foley (Carney, 84 mins), O’Donnell, Curran, O‘Brien; Molloy (McBrien, 65 mins), Sheppard.

Referee: Padraig Sutton (Clare).